1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device to enable a golfer to track and thus train both the backswing and downswing of the head of a golf club and more specifically to a single device universally usable by either right- or left-hand golfers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known that a golfer, in order to prevent slicing the golf club head across the golf ball at time of impact, should cause the club head to follow what is termed an inside-out swing path relative to the desired line-of-flight of the ball and, as will be discussed, there are training devices to assist a golfer to develop such an inside-out swing. The phrase "inside-out" is not quite as accurate as it could be because the center point of contact on the club head should never travel "out" over the line of flight. At the beginning of the backswing the club head should initially follow a straight line parallel to the intended line of flight away from the ball and then the club head should follow a path that curves toward the inside away from the intended line of flight of the golf ball. For accuracy of reference this backswing path will be termed a straight-inside curved backswing path. Similarly during the downswing, the club head first follows the inside curved path and then a straight line through the ball contact zone. After ball contact, the club head should follow through along a swing path that curves back to the inside. Thus the downswing path can be described as an inside-straight-inside swing path. In a correctly executed backswing and downswing, the center point of contact on the golf club head will never pass outside of the intended line of flight of the golf ball.
Existing training devices do not have satisfactory means to assist the golfer to train his or her swing to follow the straight-inside curved backswing path. During the initial phase of the backswing, the golfer should first take the club head back away from the ball in a straight line, in order to cause the golfer to naturally shift his weight onto the rear leg farthest from the target, and then continue the backswing along the inside curved path. If proper weight shift occurs during the backswing, then during the ensuing downswing the golfer will inherently shift his or her weight back from the rear leg to the front leg and cause the club head to follow the desired straight line through the zone of ball contact to prevent slicing across the ball. Prior art training devices do not provide suitable means for training the golfer to initially move the club head back in a straight line during club head take-away when beginning the backswing and such prior training devices as do exist are not universally usable by both right- and left-hand golfers.
One such prior art device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,152,381 issued Mar. 28, 1939 to H. Harpster. This patent discloses a mat having a plurality of yieldable vertically extending vanes arranged to provide only a curved or arcuate barrier adjacent the path the head of the club must travel. This device will encourage the golfer to cause the golf club head to follow an incorrect path in the initial take-away at the beginning of the backswing. The club head will initially be taken away from the ball along a curved path which discourages a proper shifting of weight. This device does not define a straight line barrier offset and extending from the rear of the club head to train the golfer that in the beginning of the backswing he or she should cause the club head to first follow a straight line and then a curved path nor is the device universally usable by both right- and left-hand golfers.
Another prior art device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,125,343 issued Mar. 17, 1964 to S. J. price, Jr. et al. This device provides a solid barricade which will be struck by the club head if it follows an improper outside-in swing path but it does not train the golfer that the club head should follow a straight line in the beginning of the backswing. In one embodiment the barricade does have a straight portion but this straight portion is only located opposite the area in which the ball and club head are placed and does not extend beyond the rear of the club head when placed to address the ball. Because the straight position does not extend beyond the rear of the club head it cannot function to train the golfer that the initial phase of the backswing should follow a straight line. This training aid is not universally usuable by both right- and left-hand golfers and a solid wall tends to intimidate golfers causing them to keep the club head too far away from the wall.
A further prior art device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,350,101 issued Oct. 31, 1967 to F. M. Bishop et al. This patent shows a plurality of swing paths traced on a flat horizontal pad to converge at a simulated golf ball location with one of the swing paths having an initial straight line. This device provides no straight line vertical barrier means that is offset from the toe of the club head and that extends in a straight line beyond the rear of the golf club head nor does the patent instruct the golfer as to which one of the plurality of lines the club head should follow during the initial phase of the backswing. This device is not universally usable by left- and right-hand golfers.
It is also known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,786,057, issued Nov. 22, 1988 to Larry G. Brown, to provide a pivotally mounted vertical target flap behind the golf ball which is pushed down to a horizontal position if the golf club head follows a correct path during the initial phase of the backswing. However, because the toe-to-heel dimension of the club head is three to four inches wide, the head will sweep a wide path and will push the pin to the horizontal position even if the initial backswing follows an improper nonstraight path.